Introduction
With more of us piling on the pounds, there are now hundreds of products out there designed to help us get them off. Meal replacement shakes are one such product-type that have exploded in popularity, due to them offering an almost foolproof method of placing yourself on a low calorie diet.
While originally produced by nutrition companies, nowadays even the supermarkets are making their own low-cost offerings to cater to the weight-conscious consumer. Ultra Slim shakes are Tesco’s cheap and cheerful diet/meal replacement shake, and appear to be a nice option for those looking to limit their daily caloric intake.
In this Tesco Ultra Slim review, we’re looking at how effective this product really is and are assessing whether or not it really has what it takes to help you lose some stubborn belly fat.
Readers please note that statements on this page are fair comment based on observation. This content is produced on a matter of public interest. Statements on this page are our honest opinion.
What Are Tesco Ultra Slim Meal Replacement Shakes?
These cheap and cheerful little shakes are Tesco’s answer to the booming weight loss shake industry. The general idea of these shakes is that you’d use them to replace your three daily meals – breakfast, lunch and dinner – while sticking to a good exercise regime and absolutely not snacking.. not even a little bit!
In replacing your three daily meals you’ll be significantly lowering your daily caloric intake, in fact you’ll be on a VLCD (very low calorie diet). It is this very same VLCD that will deliver you the weight loss results, not the shakes themselves.
At their core the shakes are nothing more than well branded protein shakes (milkshake is whey protein based) with a few added extras for general health purposes. The formula of the Tesco UltraSlim shakes is not exactly innovative, in fact these aren’t really what we’d class as a full-blown “weight loss shake”, despite what the product name may suggest. The Tesco UltraSlim shakes do not contain any proven weight loss ingredients at all, but at the price they cost are you really that surprised? This is a nice little shake for the cost, but if you’re willing to invest there are certainly more cutting edge products out there that will deliver much better results much quicker.
Users of the Tesco UltraSlim should think of these shakes as a convenience product, rather than a dedicated fat burning weight loss shake. They are not a miracle product, they’re just handy. They’re convenient because they allow you to easily put yourself on a VLCD without having to rigorously plan your meals and count calories etc. You can have piece of mind that the only thing you need to do to lose weight is drink those three shakes per day and not touch anything else!
The big downside to these products is in fact they basically put you on a starvation diet, which has it’s negative implications.
Do Tesco Ultra Slim Shakes Work?
As stated earlier, following the directions set for these shakes puts you on a VLCD (very low calorie diet).. which is also known as a starvation diet. It doesn’t take a genius to work out that if you starve yourself you’re going to lose weight, whether you only drink three shakes per day or only eat three apples per day.. the weight will come off eventually!
The thing that makes us say the Tesco UltraSlim shakes are not a good product to lose weight with is because we do not think that this method of losing weight is a good long term strategy. Using these shakes may help you drop some pounds in the short term, but in the long term users may see the weight lost quickly return as soon as they return to solid food diets. Let’s be honest, who wants to stay drinking three shakes per day for the rest of their life?!
Our Tesco UltraSlim review team have stated that the formula doesn’t contain any proven fat burning or appetite suppressing ingredients, this means 1. It’s not going to speed up weight loss – the amount lost totally depends on your metabolic rates, and 2. VLCD = you’ll be hungry a lot! As there’s no appetite suppressing ingredients you’ll more than likely find yourself in a battle against hunger most of the time.
The Pros & Cons Of Tesco Ultra Slim Meal Replacements
Below is a complete list of everything we think is either a positive or negative:
The Pros
- Low in calories.
- Good protein content.
- Very affordable.
The Cons
- No fat burning or appetite suppressing ingredients used.
- Users may feel constantly hungry while following the VLCD regime.
- There are concerns about the taste of this product.
- Are basically just well-branded protein shakes.
- Not a very innovative formula.
What Are The Tesco UltraSlim Ingredients?
We have found the following ingredient information via the Tesco Grocery website:
One Serving Contains: Fructose, Milk Proteins, Inulin, Whey Powder, Soya Oil, Maltodextrin, Thickener (Xanthan Gum, Carboxymethylcellulose), Mineral (Potassium Citrates, Magnesium Carbonates, Ferric Phosphates, Zinc Oxide, Manganese Sulphate, Cupric Carbonate, Potassium Iodide, Sodium Selenite), Flavoring, Salt, Emulsifiers (Sunflower Lecithins, Soya Lecithins), Vitamin (Ascorbic Acid, Nicotinamide, DL-Alpha-Tocopherol Acetate, Pantothenic Acid, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Retinyl Acetate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Folic Acid, Biotin, Cyanocobalamin, Cholecalciferol), Sweetener (Steviol Glycosides), Antioxidant (Ascorbyl Palmitate, Alpha-Tocopherol).
Is Tesco Ultra Slim Suitable For Everyone?
This product shouldn’t be used by those with allergens to milk and soy. Furthermore, we do not advise women who are pregnant or breastfeeding use the shakes without having spoken to a healthcare professional first.
Is Tesco Ultra Slim Safe?
Based on the formula, we are comfortable saying that Ultra Slim Shakes are indeed safe; they do not contain any banned or dangerous ingredients, and are completely stimulant-free.
What Are The Tesco UltraSlim Side Effects?
We’ve compiled the following potential side effects based on the ingredients inside this formula:
- Increased bowel movements
- Nausea
- Increased thirst
- Bloating
- Cramps
- Fatigue
- Headache [1]
Note: these side effects are possible but may not be the typical user experience.
Are There Any Tesco Ultra Slim Reviews From Customers?
We have found the following Tesco Slimshake review testimonials via netmums:
I dont rate these shake replacement diets very much, I just find myself craving more and then having a major binge and feeling awful because of it. I’ve started a new diet which I’m finding really really easy and I have no cravings, I dont need to buy meal replacement shakes/bars and I can eat a pancake for breakfast every day if I want to and still lost weight.
i use the ultra slim products and i like the chocolate one but didnt like strawberry lol
Our Final Verdict On Tesco Ultra Slim
To conclude our Tesco Ultra Slim review, it’s a bit of a mixed bag – there are things that we like about it and things that we aren’t too blown away by.
It’s cheap and cheerful and is okay if you’re looking to swap out a few meals, but if you’re looking to great serious weight loss results we recommend you invest the extra money and buy a more advanced weight loss shake product.